Held the gold

Of overhead costs

In abeyance

With past worries 

And current headaches

Stowed it away 

Again 

In stacks of paperbacks

About military endeavors

Riding a donkey in Yemen 

Bedouin memories

In Rub Al Kali

Sand and more sand

Across the wasteland

Of everyday life

2nd degree burns 

From a Mr. Coffee

Assembling a Jumbo Joe

To cook too salty tri tip

Buying dry beef jerky and tequila and cigarettes 

At Gonella's 

And some peanut M&M's